Why you shouldn't be cynical about Kylie Jenner's decision to keep her pregnancy private
While it is true there has been 'no big paid reveal', Kylie’s disappearance from the spotlight has sparked more discussion than any other moment of her career, precisely because, for the first time, we have been refused access. But that doesn't mean we should question her motives
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Your support makes all the difference.Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve probably heard that Kylie Jenner, the youngest of the Kardashian clan, both confirmed her pregnancy and announced the birth of her first child last night.
After months of secrecy, Kylie finally emerged with a heartfelt message shared across social media as well as a montage-style video documenting the last nine months posted on her YouTube channel. In the 14 hours since the video was posted, it has gathered over 22m views.
Over the past nine months, Kylie Jenner has achieved the impossible. As arguably one of the most famous and photographed women in the world, she has managed to keep her pregnancy completely private, with little more than speculation in the press. In her announcement post, she references her disappearance from public life, saying: “I’m sorry for keeping you in the dark… My pregnancy was one I chose not to do in front of the world. I knew for myself I needed to prepare for this role of a lifetime in the most positive, stress free and healthy way I knew how.”
Regardless of the motive, Kylie’s privacy and eventual announcement have worked wonders for the Kardashian brand. Quite the opposite of my previous prediction, their audience of followers is arguably more engaged than ever. Interest has been renewed, especially as this is the third announcement of its kind to come from the family in recent months, following the surprise arrival of Kim’s third child in January, and Khloe’s pregnancy announcement in December. Everyone is clamouring to know more, and to get a first glimpse of the newest addition to America’s royal family.
A huge part of the Kardashian appeal is the complete freedom with which they share even the most private details of their lives with their fans and followers, both on social media and their reality television show. It makes them accessible, and allows their audience to feel connected to the otherwise unreachable fantasy lifestyle they lead. We can feel like part of the family everyone wants to join. Kylie even writes in her announcement post on Instagram: “I understand you’re used to me bringing you along on all my journeys.” The family's fame is built on over-sharing, and after 10 years, their audience have become accustomed to it.
Kylie’s choice not to share any element of her pregnancy is therefore an act of rebellion in itself, which has inevitably drawn more attention than if she has publicised it from the start.
While it is true there has been “no big paid reveal”, Kylie’s disappearance from the spotlight has sparked more questioning, more discussion and, frankly, more outrage than any other moment of her life or career, precisely because, for the first time, we have been refused access.
Everyone wanted to know where King Kylie had gone and whether the rumours were true – but for months, questions continued to be met with nothing but stony silence, and a marked absence from all public engagements. The mystery of Kylie Jenner’s baby has therefore garnered more media attention, inspired more memes and sparked more frustrated tweets from fans than perhaps any other popular culture story since the pregnancy rumours first appeared last September.
As with everything Kardashian, it has been a family affair. Her mother and sister’s determined silence on the topic – cheekily avoiding questions on talk shows, excluding Kylie from family photos on Instagram – has ensured consistent public interest far better than even a detailed pregnancy vlog and a shock reveal on KUWTK might have done. Kylie didn’t need a big reveal: what was far more shocking was the lack of one.
I have no doubt that Kylie left the spotlight for the health and wellbeing of herself and her child, rather than, as I’m sure many will claim, for publicity. Whether she intended it or not, publicity is what she got, and lots of it – and for now, the public interest in Kylie Jenner as mother doesn't look like it’s going to die down any time soon. Perhaps for the family famous for sharing everything, not letting us in on this pregnancy has been the golden ticket to ensuring that we are all, still, keeping up with the Kardashians.
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